Day 17: Victrola Coffee Roasters

Victrola has an almost-untouchable aura of respect about it. In a coffee-crazed city like Seattle, that’s saying something.

The name

From the beginning, Victrola, named for the popular home phonograph of the 1920’s, embraced the liveliness, exuberance and fun of the Jazz era. In our popular imagination the roaring 20’s represent excess, prohibition, flappers, and speakeasies. The era’s fingerprints mark much of what we do, from our passion for live vintage jazz to our cafes unique architectural charm.”

Victrola is explicit about roasting beans the Victrola way: experimental, exacting, and obsessive. They’re also interested in providing a unique and varied variety of coffee. This roll-over map is a pretty cool and informational display of the coffee regions they represent.

The place

Today I worked from the original Victrola—the 15th avenue coffee and art location. This neighborhood spot is “all about community and seriously beautiful coffee,” and to some, it’s the “living room of capitol hill.” The place was packed—it was all I could do to stake out a tiny table in the deepest corner of the café, near the stand-up piano. From there, I had a full vantage point of the regulars ordering their drinks and making small talk with the baristas.

Victrola started out on 15th, but once they started successfully roasting their own beans, they moved the operation to the auto row space on Pike. The Pike café has cuppings every Wednesday; I may need to experience a cupping ritual the Victrola way sometime soon. The most recent location opened its doors in Beacon Hill in 2009.

Photo courtesy Luxist

The pour over

I keep hearing about the pour over brewing method, and seeing it referenced on Victrola’s chalkboard menu, I decided it was time to learn more. If you’re interested, check out this quick how-to from Coffee Geek. The process, which involves pouring hot water over freshly ground beans, results in a single serving of fresh. According to the experts, it comes down to a good grinder, fresh beans, a cloth filter, the perfect water temperature, and careful timing.